For the Love of Lucas (and Baseball)
by marci.jo27
Summary: Riley is a sophomore and meets the new kid, Lucas, who happens to be the new star on the baseball team. She might fall in love with the boy and a new sport, but will their differences get in the way?
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is my first FanFic. I've had this story in my head for awhile and I love GMW. Since Lucas has made a few references about baseball I have made it a GMW AU. If you like it, please read and review. Not sure where I want the story to go yet so if you have ideas please share! Thanks!_**

'I am not looking forward to this.' Riley thought as she headed to the baseball team's practice field.

Riley was NOT a fan of baseball. She had tried to watch Philly's games with her dad, and she just couldn't understand the appeal. She was more of a football girl. But Mrs. Jackson, the journalism teacher in charge of the school newspaper, had given her the task of photographing and interviewing some baseball team members and she didn't want to disappoint her.

She hadn't known that she was interested in photography until her dad's best friend Shawn had given her a digital camera for Christmas. Once she started she couldn't stop. The thrill of taking that one perfect shot had far outweighed the work that went into finding locations and subjects, and the time spent editing after the shoots.

As she neared the field she could smell that familiar scent of fresh cut grass. She could hear the ting of the baseball bat and the thud of a ball landing in a baseball glove. She walked towards the coach but stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed him. Standing on the pitching mound winding up for his next throw. He was taller than her, maybe 6 feet. He was tan but as his sleeves rode up she noticed a pretty distinct farmer's tan on his arms. He had short blonde hair that looked like it had been bleached in the sun. But what caught her attention were his eyes. Bright blue, even from the 1st base dug-out.

"Ms. Matthews? MS. MATTHEWS!" She snapped back into focus as Coach Gleason approached her. "Can I help you?"

"Sorry Coach, Mrs. Jackson sent me to get some pictures and maybe some interviews from the team for the school newspaper."

"Well we're almost done, but if you'd like to get some pictures take them now. Then you can ask some questions after the team meeting."

"Thanks coach."

Riley wasn't sure where to start. She figured it would be best to focus on the rest of the team so she wouldn't get distracted by the pitcher whom she failed to recognize. She took the camera to the opening in the fence by 3rd base. She snapped some pictures of Billy Ross and a few other members of the team. She snapped some pictures of the catcher, the first baseman, the outfields, and whoever was up to bat. Finally she went to the bleachers behind home plate. There was no umpire because they were practicing, so she had a clear shot of pitcher, catcher, and the boy up to bat. She looked towards the mound and realized that the tall blonde boy was staring at her.

"She's getting some shots for the newspaper. Show her what you're made of!" Coach Gleason yelled from the side.

Was it just Riley or did he just grin?


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas was convinced that the only good part about his parent's divorce was that he moved to a school who desperately needed a pitcher on their baseball team. In Texas, he was on a team where the coach was under the impression that his son was an excellent pitcher so Lucas was restricted to 2nd base or outfield most of the time. Either way he was happy to be on a team but he knew that his strengths lied on the mound. He was good under pressure, he could read the batter to know what he wanted, and he knew when the runner on 2nd was just far enough away from the bag that he could turn around and pick him off.

After the accident in Texas, Lucas was expelled from school and his only option was moving to New York to live with his mom. He wasn't sure how city life was going to be. Lucas was used to riding horses on his dad's farm. But he figured as long as they had a baseball team, he could survive 2 years until graduation.

It was the last day of practice before their 1st regular season game. The coach had them doing defense drills which meant he could get some pitching practice in. He was conpletely focused on the catcher until he heard "click click."

"She's getting some shots for the newspaper. Show her what you're made of!"

Lucas glanced at the girl positioned right behind home with a camera looking through the fence. She had long brown hair and big brown eyes. She had on a long sleeved lace shirt and what looked like a tutu to Lucas. He wasn't sure what to make of the outfit but he noticed the innocence in her eyes. The way she kept looking at the screen of the camera to see what she had captured. She wouldn't make direct eye contact with him, which frustrated him. He was used to girls throwing themselves at him, but this intriguing girl wouldn't even look at him. So he decided to get her attention another way.


	3. Chapter 3

Slam! He had thrown the ball at the fence right next to where she was positioned."Friar! Where was that one going?" Coach yelled from in front of the dug out.

"Sorry coach, it slipped."

"Well that's the only one you get! Alright guys, team meeting by 1st base, hussle up!"

After Riley's heart stopped from the shock of the noise, she finally looked up at this mysterious boy who had "accidentally" thrown the ball right at her. He had a grin on his face and his eyes were the bluest Riley had ever seen. She could get lost in those eyes... Wait a minute.

"You did that on purpose."

"Who me?" He asked.

"Yes you! You've been throwing perfect strikes right up until I got behind the plate. Are you trying to break my camera, or were you trying to give me a heart atack?"

"I would never. I had to get your attention somehow."

Did he just say that?

"Friar!"

"Coming Coach Gleason!" He smiled and turned to run to the team meeting.

As Riley sat in shock of what had just happened, her phone starting buzzing. Thank heavens for her best friend Maya. Maya was known to get her out of a jam a time or two. "Maya where are you? I need you!"


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the reviews. I hear what you're saying about the chapters being longer. But I'm doing the story as being in the perspective of Lucas/Riley every other chapter. In the interest of not wanting to back track a lot, I'm just writing as it flows. Some chapters will probably be longer than others. Thanks for reading and thank you for the feedback!**_

After Coach Gleason finished addressing the team and what he wanted them to work on, Lucas headed to the locker room. It had been a long day and all he wanted a frozen fruit smoothie. Just down the street from his mom's apartment, Lucas had discovered a small bakery named Topanga's. He wandered in and ordered a new flavor. Behind him, he caught the tail-end of a conversation between two girls. "...So do you know anything about him?"

"Just what I have told you, Riles. He's new, he came from Texas and he's on the baseball team. You know, he's probably a huckleberry."

Lucas turned around and came face to face with the brunette girl who had been at the baseball field. She went white as a ghost when she realized it was him.

"Hi" Lucas said.

Blank stare. The blonde seemed to realize that the boy standing in front of them was just the person they were just discussing.

"I believe she means, hello. My name is Riley. And your's?" the blonde girl said.

"Lucas Friar. Hi Riley."

Lucas chuckled. He could tell that he caught Riley off guard. "You must be Riley's friend, what's your name?"

"Maya. She's normally more talkative but she has...Laryngitis."

"That's too bad. Maybe next time?"

Maya nodded yes. Lucas turned to walk out. Before leaving he turned around and said, "Our baseball game tomorrow is a home game. So if you guys would like to come I'd love to see you there."

Lucas wasn't sure why Riley was so quiet around him. He loved it when she snapped at him at the baseball field. He wished he could see more of that side of her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Smooth."

"Oh please. You know me, Maya. I am the farthest thing from smooth. I couldn't be smooth if I were literally made of butter. I don't know what's wrong with me. Why do I lose all comprehension whenever I see him?"

"You like him."

"How could I like him? I don't even know him."

"All the more reason that we are going to that baseball game tomorrow. We can blend into the stands and hopefully he won't notice the drool."

Riley and Maya had been friends their whole life. They met in the sandbox at the park when they were little. Riley was always the bubbly girl who lived in a world of rainbows and unicorns. Maya had a hard childhood. Her dad had left her and started a new family. Her mom worked whenever possible to provide for Maya. Maya understood how hard she had to work to provide for her but it still hurt sometimes that she was MIA. Riley's parents had the fairytale story. They had known each other their whole lives and been in love their whole lives. Riley's dad had actually been her teacher in middle school. Her mom was an attorney but had also bought the bakery that became their hang out.

"While I am open to the idea of seeing more of him, do we really have to go to the baseball game to do it? Baseball is really boring."

"Riley, have you ever been to a baseball game or just tried to watch one on tv?"

Riley thought about it for a minute. Maybe Maya was right. She hadn't actually been to a baseball game. "I guess you're right. Looks like you're taking me out to the ball game!"


	6. Chapter 6

As Lucas headed towards the field, he had his headphones in listening to his usual warm up playlist. Lucas mostly preferred the classics, Eye of the Tiger, anything AC/DC. It was part of his pregame ritual that he had since little league when he was 10. Lucky penny in his shoe, his pep-talk from his uncle written on paper and laminated on the inside of his hat. Lucas wasn't superstitious outside of the game but he just didn't feel the same if he didn't follow his normal routine while getting ready for a game.

It was a perfect day for a game. Saturday morning, sky was overcast, temperature was warm but there was a cool breeze. Lucas didn't know what to expect from the team they were playing. According to his teammates, they were a decent opponent but nothing they couldn't handle. But the problem with baseball is that it's like quicksand. Step into it once, you start sinking. The more you struggle, the deeper you sink.

"Gametime coach!" The umpire called out.

This was it. Lucas's moment. They were home team so Lucas took his place on the mound. After a few warm up pitches the umpire called the batter up. Just like every other game Lucas checked 3rd, checked 2nd, checked 1st. He looked towards Hayden, the catcher, for the call. Fast ball. Lucas looked, pulled up, wound up... Thud! "Strike!"

One down, two to go. Lucas sends one in... Crack! "Foul ball!" Called the umpire. Lucas looks towards the coach as relief washes over him. Lucas throws the third pitch and the batter swings and misses. The next two batters get up, Lucas throws them all out. He can hear the crowd cheering but now he needs to get up and try to put a hit into play.

After the pitcher from the other team warms up, Lucas steps up towards home plate. He has the same warm up that he's had for many years. He listens to the coach's instructions, puts one foot into the batter's box, digs in, hits the bat on home plate, swing the bat up and wait. Lucas has gained an instinct over the years of watching the pitcher to see what he's thinking. The pitcher winds up, throws, it's a curve to the outside. 'Not mine.' Lucas thinks.

"Ball!"

Pitcher winds up, fast ball right down the barrel, Lucas swings... Crack! Lucas takes off for 1st base as he sees the ball drop into left field. Hayden is up to bat after Lucas. Hayden hits off a line drive towards the short stop who leaps and catches it. Lucas steps off 1st towards 2nd. The pitcher is watching Lucas with his peripheral vision, but sends one to home plate. It's a wild pitch and the catcher misses. Lucas takes off for 2nd. He knew he would have to dive to get there safe. Lucas touches the plate just before the 2nd baseman catches the ball and lands his glove on Lucas's back.

"That wasn't very nice!" Lucas hears from the stands. He looks up to see who was yelling. A grin crossed his face. 'Guess she decided to come.' Lucas thought as he looked up at a distraught-looking Riley.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Sorry guys, busy weekend. I had zero time to write anything. I'm not making any promises but I would like to put out 1 chapter per day during the week until I figure out where I want the story to go and how long it's going to be. I have a lot of downtime right now so I'm going to write whenever possible. Like I said, no promises but if I put it in writing I will feel more obligated to stick with it. Thanks for reading and the reviews so far. You guys are awesome!_**

Riley and Maya wandered into the baseball park and looked for a spot in the bleachers. The game hadn't started yet but Riley could see Lucas warming up on the pitcher's mound. Riley couldn't put her finger on what it was but when Lucas was on the baseball field, he looked at home. He looked...focused. And serious. Which was such a change from the small interactions she had had with him giving her a hard time. She wasn't sure what to make of it other than she found it extremely...sexy.

The first batter from the other team headed towards home plate, bat in hand. Suddenly Riley got this strange feeling in her stomach. Was she nervous? How could she possibly feel nervous about this. She didn't even know Lucas and she didn't even care about baseball. But as she watched Lucas in his element, she got this strange urge to go get him and drag him away.

"Maya."

"We're not leaving, we just got here."

"But, but."

"No."

Lucas threw the first pitch and Riley's heart skipped. "Strike!" Why was Riley freaking out? "What is wrong with me?" She asked out loud.

"We don't have time to get into all of that, Riley." Maya smirked.

Lucas threw the second pitch but this time the batter made contact. The ball flew straight in the air and over the fence behind him. Riley felt a rush of adrenaline. She even found herself cheering Lucas on. He threw the next pitch in, "Strike!"

"Yes! Go Lucas!"

Lucas struck the next two batters out and the team rushed to the dug-out. "Hey that wasn't so bad! It's actually kinda fun watching this," Riley told Maya. Right up until she looked over and saw Lucas practicing his swing with a baseball bat. "Maya, why does he have to bat? I think the pitcher should be exempt from batting. Wait. Is he batting first?"

"Riley, most teams have their pitcher bat first so that he can be ready when the next inning starts."

There it was again. This feeling that kept washing over Riley as she watched this game. It was almost like she needed to protect him. How silly is that, Riley thought. He clearly didn't need protecting. He was a big boy, he was just fine on his own. Riley looked towards the pitching mound. He seemed huge to Riley. He was about the same height as Lucas but he had 40-50 pounds on him. Riley could only imagine how hard he could throw the ball.

Riley watched Lucas go up to the plate. She couldn't help but notice the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead. How can someone make sweat look that amazing? Lucas had the most attractive arms Riley had ever seen. They were taut and muscular and it looked like he spent a lot of time outside. She smiled at the memory of seeing his farmer's tan during practice.

Riley knew she should be watching the pitcher but she couldn't take her eyes off this boy in front of her. He wasn't only good-looking. He was focused on everything around him. The way he watched the pitcher and eventually the ball when it came towards him was mesmerizing. The first pitch came to him but he immediately backed off of it. "Ball!"

Lucas seemed to do the same thing before each pitch came to him. It almost looked like a rehearsed dance to Riley. The next pitch headed straight for Lucas. He swung the bat and Riley heard a loud crack from the bat. She watched the ball fly over into left field and drop in front of the outfielder. She could help but cheer.

The second batter got up and hit a line drive right towards one of the players. The next batter got up and Riley realized that Lucas wasn't on his base. Riley suddenly realized that her nervous feeling probably wasn't going away as long as he was on the field. Lucas was toying with the pitcher. He was acting like he was going to steal 2nd base. The pitcher definitely looked distracted to Riley.

He wound up and threw the ball towards home plate but the pitch was so far outside that the catcher missed it. Riley looked up and Lucas was in full sprint towards 2nd base. Riley looked towards the catcher who was just scooping up the ball. He chucked it at the 2nd baseman. Lucas dove towards 2nd base just as the ball landed in the 2nd baseman's glove. He dropped his glove hard on Lucas' back and Riley decided she had enough.

"That wasn't very nice!" Riley yelled.

It seemed like everyone in the stands and on the field turned and looked at her. She smiled apologetically and slowly sat down. Riley felt her cheeks go bright red. "Did that just happen?"

"Yep, sure did!" Maya laughed.

Riley looked towards 2nd base and realized that Lucas was laughing. 'I'm definitely going to hear about that one later' Riley thought. The rest of the game went by without any more outburts from Riley. The team had scored several runs in the first inning after Lucas' steal to 2nd. Riley couldn't believe how much she had enjoyed the game. She thought she was going to be bored out of her mind, but she found herself wondering when the next game was.

After the game ended, Lucas waved over Riley and Maya and asked them to wait for him to shower. Maya had conveniently remembered that she was meeting with her mom and step-dad for dinner.

"Maya you can't leave me. I can't even talk to him by myself."

"Riley you will do just fine. Just remember to count to 3 before saying something if you need to."

Riley thought about making a run for it and telling Lucas later that something had come up when suddenly she heard, "Riley! Thanks for waiting."

Riley turned around and her jaw almost hit the ground. Lucas had changed into faded destroyed jeans and a white t-shirt and tennis shoes. His hair was still slightly wet from the shower he had just taken, and he was carrying his baseball bag on his back.

"Hi."

"Hey."

He's going to be trouble, Riley thought to herself.


	8. Chapter 8

_**You might be mad at me for this chapter. It's kind of a teaser. But I will try to update soon I promise.**_

"So how'd you like the game?" Lucas asked.

"I actually really loved it. I didn't know it could be that much fun to watch baseball. And, I mean, it was kinda fun watching you play."

"Well I'm glad you liked it. You seemed kinda upset during the first inning."

"I just didn't think that boy needed to hit you quite that hard. Did it hurt?"

Lucas laughed. "I think I'll make it."

They had wandered downtown into a small coffee shop. Riley was asking Lucas about how he got into baseball and about his last school. Lucas thought it was too soon to tell Riley about the incident that got him kicked out so he just told her about his parents' divorce. They talked about school and which classes they had. Turns out they had just been missing each other in the halls since Lucas started school.

"I can't believe I haven't noticed you in the halls yet." Lucas said. He smiled as a blush grew on Riley's face.

"I can. I'm not exactly the most outgoing. Maya is the one who usually makes all the new friends. She's smart, funny, gorgeous..."

"She's alright, but she's no you."

Lucas wasn't sure what it was about this girl but when she looked up at him with her those big brown eyes he just couldn't help but feel like he needed to kiss her. 'I don't want to scare her off.' Lucas thought.

"Can I walk you home?"

"Sure."

Lucas and Riley left the coffee shop and headed down the street. They were just about to round a corner when a bicyclist came around nearly knocking Riley down. As if by instinct, Lucas grabbed Riley's waist and pulled her to him, slamming himself into the wall next to him.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Lucas looked Riley over to make sure she wasn't harmed.

Suddenly Lucas realized that he was leaning back against the wall and he was holding Riley to him. He became hyper-aware of their proximity and started to feel his heart race. He looked into Riley's eyes as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'm great," she said, not moving away from him.

Lucas couldn't stand it anymore. He put his hands on both sides of her face and pulled her up to him. He hesitated just slightly, looking into Riley's eyes to make sure this was okay. The smile that had formed on her lips told him all he needed to know.


	9. Chapter 9

It had all happened so fast, Riley could barely catch her breath. One second they are walking and the next she is leaning against him and looking into the blue eyes that had captivated her on the baseball field.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Lucas asked her.

"I'm great," Riley said as she realized that she should probably get off of him. But he was holding onto her and she honestly had no interest in being anywhere else. His hands moved off of her waist and she thought he was going to push her away but instead he placed both hands on the side of her face by her ears. Goosebumps shot up and down Riley's spine and arms. He looked deep into her eyes and seemed to be searching for something. He must have found whatever he was looking for because he brought his lips down onto hers.

Riley had gone out with a few boys before, but it had been awhile. And none of them seemed to know what they were doing the way Lucas did. They had been quick to try to make out with her and stick their tongues down her throat and Riley was not a fan. But Lucas was different. It was like he was taking his time. He pressed his lips against hers like they were fragile and would break if he tried too hard. Riley was about to lean in for a deeper kiss when Lucas pulled away.

"Even though this just happened, there are some moments you know you're going to remember forever. This is one of them."

Had Lucas not been holding Riley up, she would have fallen to the ground. But she decided that passing out wouldn't make the best impression so instead she smiled at him and said, "Hankdiosdlkfdid."

Lucas laughed. "I guess I better get you home."

He grabbed Riley's hand and laced his fingers through hers and they finished the walk to Riley's house.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Maya was waiting in Riley's room when she got home. "So... tell me everything."

"Maya, I don't even know where to start. I feel like I just left the Twilight Zone. What on Earth could he have seen in me?"

"Okay first, what could he NOT see in you. You're the best person I know. Plus, you're the closest thing to a country girl in this city, minus your choice of clothing. You watch football, your family goes camping, and you listen to country music."

"He doesn't even know any of that about me yet."

"He's a country boy... He can probably spot it from a mile away. You still haven't told me what happened."

"He kissed me. Like, a genuine fireworks, 4th of July, marching band, everything I've ever wanted kiss."

"I'm happy for you Riles. It's about time you found someone that makes you happy."

"You know, I think it's time you find your happiness, Maya. I know you're still hurting over Josh but it's been 6 months."

Maya had finally convinced Riley's uncle Josh (who was only 3 years older than them) that they could work in a relationship. Josh had spent the summer between Riley and Maya's freshman year and sophomore year in the city with Riley's family. He had just graduated and was doing an internship at the local college. Josh and Maya had a lot of fun over the summer. But Josh had started classes in the fall and it didn't take long for him to decide he wanted to date other girls in college. He also didn't want to hold Maya back from finding someone new either. Maya was really hurt when they ended things but she knew that their relationship wasn't practical right now and she was hopefully that they could try again someday.

"I suppose you're right, but who would I even go out with?"

"How about someone whom you've known forever, completely adores you, and just happens to be available?"

"Are you talking about Farkle?"

"Maya, he's not the same as he was in middle school. He doesn't wear his turtle neck sweaters anymore, he had a major growth spurt, and he's completely adorable. He's one of our best friends. You were one of his biggest supporters when he was going through his Asperger's testing."

"You're right, he is one of our best friends, which is why I couldn't date him. He's one of my favorite people. I would be crushed if I lost my friendship with him."

"I still think you should consider it but I see your point."

Riley's phone buzzed on her dresser. It was a text from Lucas; they had exchanged phone numbers when Lucas walked her home.

'I had a great time today. I hope we can do it again sometime.'

Riley couldn't believe this had happened. She needed to remember to thank Mrs. Jackson for the baseball assignment.

 _ **A/N: Just a few things. For story purposes, this isn't taking place in New York. It's in a smaller city that has nearby access to the country. I don't hate the Joshaya ship, but in my personal opinion, it would be too hard for a sophomore in high school to be dating a freshman in college. I adore Farkle, Corey has really come into his own the past few episodes and he's become a real contender for one of the girls to end up with. Since this is a Rucas story, I'm going to explore the Faya ship. As always, thanks for the reviews and follows.**_


	10. Chapter 10

Lucas walked in the front doors of the high school. He was trying to discreetly look for Riley but saw Billy instead. Billy was a teammate but not much more. He had been the pitcher on the team before Lucas came along so he wasn't exactly Lucas's biggest fan. Lucas was just going to walk around him when he realized who Billy was talking to.

"So what do you say, Riley? You wanna go out with me Friday night?"

Lucas could feel the anger rising from the pit of his stomach until he heard Riley say, "Sorry Billy, I'm sorta seeing someone...maybe... I think."

Lucas couldn't help but smile. Riley had this way of being really mature and childlike all at the same time. Being around her was like a day at Disneyland, a ride on a unicorn, and a swim in Willy Wonka's chocolate river. Except when they kissed. There was nothing childlike about that.

"Hey Riley. Billy."

"I should have known. Seems like whenever I see something I want, this guy is right around the corner getting ready to swipe it."

Billy walked away and Riley grimaced. "I didn't mean to make him feel bad."

"Trust me Riley, when it comes to that guy, you can't win."

Riley didn't say anything. She seemed to be staring at something on Lucas's face. Uh oh, did he still have breakfast on his face? He started wiping at his face as Riley said, "Sorry, sorry. I was just thinking about the other day."

"I've thought about it a lot too. Do you want to maybe talk about it at lunch?"

"I would really like that. I'll save you a spot."

"Actually, I was thinking we could go somewhere. If that's okay with you."

"Of course. Should I wait by the front doors?"

"I'll be here as soon as I can."

Lucas had just the right spot he wanted to take Riley to. He hoped she wouldn't think it was weird.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

As promised, Riley was waiting by the front doors as Lucas rushed from his science class. He couldn't help but do a double take when he saw her. She had on jeans that fit just right, a ruffley black shirt on, and black Chuck Taylors. Her hair was curly but it was pulled back into a pony tail. He couldn't help but laugh at how different her clothing always was. But he thought he liked this look the best. Simple, natural, and down to Earth.

"So where are we going?" She asked as Lucas walked up to her.

"Right this way, ma'am."

He grabbed onto her hand and laced his fingers through hers. He led her out towards the field and noticed she was looking at him and grinning.

"What?"

I had a feeling we were coming out here. It seems like you love this place.

"Well, I do. But that's not the only reason I wanted to come out here."

"Oh really? So what's the other reason?"

"This is the first place I saw you."

When they got to the dugout, Lucas pulled out the lunchbox he had brought with him. "I didn't want you to starve if I took you away from lunch."

"Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?! They're my favorite! You seem to be working awfully hard for something, Lucas Friar."

"You caught me."

"You said you wanted to talk about what happened the other day?"

"Yeah. I just, I hope you know I don't kiss every girl right after I meet them. Most girls I meet aren't half as interesting as you are."

"Honestly I'm a little confused about what made you notice me in the first place. Most guys see Maya first. Not that I blame them, she's the funniest, most beautiful and best friend I've ever had. Why did I stand out to you?"

"I do like Maya. Not in the way I like you, but she does seem like someone I would really like to be friends with. The first time I saw you was when you were taking pictures, remember? You were really invested in what you were doing. I could tell by the way you furrowed your brows when you weren't getting the shots you wanted, and then I could tell when you were getting the shots you wanted because your eyes lit up. I threw that baseball at the fence because I wanted to get your attention. I wanted you to look at me. But then when you yelled at me, you made me laugh. I have to be around people who make me laugh, and you've done that several times since we met. And I think I make you nervous. I like that I make you nervous."

Riley looked like she was trying to think of something to say but she kept giggling instead. Once again, she was making Lucas laugh.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Sorry its been a while guys. I've been having conflicting feelings with Rucas vs. Lucaya. I don't know about you guys but watching Season 1, it was Rucas all the way. But now season 2 has happened and I'm all sorts of confused. Haha. But I'm going to stick with Rucas for this story. For now. I think. Haha. I honestly don't know, I write what I'm feeling in the moment I'm writing so it kinda just depends. We'll see!_**

Riley was fairly certain that she was dreaming. That was only explanation. She had fallen asleep in math and was now dreaming. There was no way this was actually happening to her. Any second now, someone was going to pinch her or ring a bell and she would wake up.

Riley had experienced first hand that some things were too good to be true, so even though she was on cloud nine, she still couldn't help but wonder when the other shoe was going to drop.

"Can I ask you something?" Lucas cut into her thoughts.

"Anything."

"What's with the clothes? Don't get me wrong, you always look great, but it seems like it's completely different every day."

Riley chuckled. "Yeah, I know. It kind of started when Maya and I were 14. I had a harajuku phase."

Riley could see the confusion on Lucas' face. "It's a Japanese fashion trend. Anyway, I took it a little bit far with that one, but I did like the way I felt like I could express something different every day with the way I dressed. But honestly, what I'm wearing today is probably the closest thing to me."

"I like it. But then, you could probably pull off a burlap sack."

"Actually I did try that out once for Halloween..." Riley joked.

They heard the bell ring from the main building.

"Do you have practice today? I'm still working on the article for the newspaper."

"Yep, 3:00."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Riley made her way back over to the baseball field. It seemed like she had spent more time on a diamond in the last week than she had in her whole life. She immediately spotted Lucas but she was actually trying to put in some work this time. Her article was due in a few days and she really wanted it to be good. So after clearing it with the coach, she took a few players off to the side to ask them about the team. She asked how the season had gone so far, what they wanted to accomplish, and their favorite memories of baseball. A lot of them were similar, they had won all their games so far, but they all wanted to make it to the state championship. Their memories varied from little league to moments in practice, even recent moments in high school.

Lucas came over as she was finishing with Billy. There was a strange look in his eyes as he watched Billy walk away. It was similar to the way he acted when he saw them talking earlier.

"So, was he trying to hit on you again?"

"Nope. Unless by hitting on me you mean he told me about the first time he hit an over the fence home run in little league."

"Well he was obviously trying to impress you." Lucas winked at her.

"So, Mr. Friar. How has your season gone so far?"

"It's gone well. It's gotten better recently."

How was Riley supposed to concentrate when he was looking at her that way?

"What would you like to accomplish from this point on?"

"Well I'd like to continue to improve and I'd love for a scout to see me. I'm probably going to rely pretty heavily on scholarships if I have a shot at college."

"Do you want to play professionally?"

"I mean, that's probably every kid's dream. I've played since I was 7. It would be the shot of a lifetime. But, if that doesn't work out, I want to be a veterinarian. I used to help birth horses back in Texas."

"Wow. I don't even know if I want to go to college and you've already picked your career. That's actually really inspiring."

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

"Everything. Uh.. *cough* I mean, yes. What is your all time favorite baseball memory?"

"Well. I kinda have a lot of them."

"If you could narrow it down?"

Lucas thought about it for a while. There were so many to choose from. He had been on an accelerated team for 4 years and they had won several tournaments. He remembered his first home run, his first double play, his first triple play that he had been part of. He remembered the other day at practice when this girl had come seemingly out of nowhere. But he think he knew which memory stood out most.

"My family was really supportive of basebally growing up. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, everyone. In the middle of my fall season when I was 12, I sorta had this thing that my family liked to call 'baseball temper.' If something went wrong during the game I had a hard time letting it go. It would nag at me and frustrate me. After losing a game, I had thrown my bat and my batting helmet and I wouldn't talk to anyone. All I could think about was that my whole family was there to watch me and I couldn't even win for them. My uncle came up to me with a little piece of notebook paper. I could tell it was pretty old because the paper was kind of yellow. He handed it to me and said, this is your homework.

"I opened the paper and it was a list in my grandpa's handwriting. It said: Don't run away from challenges, run over them. Don't sit out for fear of striking out. You either win or you learn. As long as you try your best, we're proud.

"My uncle explained to me that my grandpa had written him that note when he was young. He had kept it in his baseball bag the rest of the time he played baseball and that now it was my turn to hold onto it. He said that I couldn't let one game stick with me. I had to remember that there was nothing I could do about the past but learn from it."

"Wow, Lucas. That is pretty cool. So wait, I have to ask. Do you still have the note?"

Lucas reached into the front pocket of his baseball bag and pulled out the old piece of paper. He had since had it laminated for fear that it would get ripped.

"My grandpa passed away a couple years ago. But I know he's still with me."


	12. Chapter 12

_**Warning: Angst headed your way!**_

Riley's article had come out even better than she was hoping. Mrs. Jackson loved it so much, it actually became the front cover of the paper. Riley couldn't believe how much she had enjoyed being around the baseball team. She always thought of baseball as being boring, but it had turned into one of her favorite places to be. For several reasons, actually. One of which was heading down the stairs right towards her.

Riley and Lucas had continued to spend time together. He was occupying most of Riley's mind these days, and with prom coming up, she couldn't help but hope that he was going to ask her. But Riley couldn't help but notice that every time they starting talking about the future or where their relationship was headed, Lucas seemed to change the subject. He was very polite about everything and was never rude but it just seemed like he didn't want to discuss it.

"Hey you," Lucas said and kissed her cheek. "Can I interest you in a smoothie after school today?"

"You could probably talk me into it. I actually want to talk to you about something, anyway."

"Uh oh. Am I in trouble?"

"Not yet." Riley smiled and headed off to class.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Riley knew she was falling hard for Lucas. But she knew that if she let herself fall much further without knowing where he was at, she would get hurt. She had no interest in being his side girl or his friend with benefits. She was just going to ask him where he thought their relationship was going.

Lucas had sent her a text saying that he was running late and to just meet him at Topanga's. She went in and found a table and waited for him to arrive. She pulled out her phone to text Maya.

Riley: _Just got here. I'm still not sure what I'm going to say to him._

Maya: _You got this, Riley. You just need to ask him what you guys are._

Riley: _Haha... I'll try my best._

Maya: _Call me after you talk._

Riley watched the people around her. There was an old couple in the booth in front of her. They were sitting on the same side and he had his arm wrapped around her. Behind her she could hear a young family with a toddler who was giggling. Across the room there was a young couple just talking. She couldn't help but feel hopeful looking at all these people around her. If they can find something, why couldn't she?

She waited. And waited. And waited.

Soon she realized that it was 6:00 and she needed to head home. She couldn't believe that he hadn't shown up.

'This is what I get for being so positive.' Riley thought as she left Topanga's and headed home.


	13. Chapter 13

'What just happened?' Lucas thought as he sat in the dugout of the baseball field. 'I wasn't even going to say anything to him. I was just going to walk by.'

Lucas thought back to being in Texas. It was just another ordinary day. He and his buddy Zay walking down the hallway. Then a tough guy named Jordan walked by them and shoved Zay. After making sure Zay was alright, Lucas had turned his attention towards the punk that had shoved his friend.

"What exactly was that for?" Lucas asked him.

"He's in my hallway. I don't like colored boys in my hallway."

Something had snapped inside Lucas. Bullying Zay was one thing, but when he heard the racist remark come out of Jordan, he saw red. He actually blacked out. The first thing he remembered after Jordan's comment was someone pulling him off. Jordan was on the ground with blood coming out of his ear and nose.

Lucas shivered at the memory. Jordan ended up being okay but Lucas couldn't believe he had let himself lose control. And now he had done it again.

Coach Gleason was handing Billy an ice pack for his jaw and turned around to face Lucas.

"I want to know what happened and I want to know right now."

"I'm sorry coach, really I am. I thought I left something out here and I came to look for it. When I got out here, Billy was in here and we got into it."

"What on earth could have happened that led to you throwing a punch at your teammate? I've never seen you lose your cool."

Billy finally chimed in, "I was just letting him know not to get too comfortable on the mound. It was my position and it's going to be mine again."

"I believe that's my call," Coach Gleason replied defiantly. "But I still don't see how it escalated this quickly."

"He made a comment about a girl I like."

"I wasn't saying anything you don't already know, Friar."

"Alright look. That's enough. I wasn't here, so I don't know what I can believe. But I know one thing, you both will be doing all kinds of laps tomorrow at practice. I suggest you both head home."

Lucas remembered that he was supposed to be meeting Riley. But he knew he couldn't pull himself together. How could she ever see him any differently if she knew that he had this side of him. And he didn't deserve a girl like her when he had this side of him. The best thing Lucas could do for Riley is stay far away from her.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: This chapter is half in Riley's POV and half in Maya's. (They're basically the same person, right? haha)**_

Riley refused to get out of bed. She was going to pretend like she was sick long enough for her parents to leave and then she would spend the day binge watching Gossip Girl on Netflix and eating chocolate. But if she knew Maya, she knew she'd be here any minute.

"Good morning sunshine!"

Right on cue. "Go to school, Maya. I'm not going. *Cough cough.* I'm sick."

"Finally! Rub some of your germs on me so I can be sick too."

"Okay I'm not really sick, but I'm not going to school. And my parents are still here so they have to believe I'm really sick."

"Wait, why would you not want to go to school?"

Riley had thought about calling Maya after Lucas hadn't shown up for their date but she didn't feel like talking to anyone. She didn't think that Lucas was going to be the kind of guy that would stand her up that way.

"Lucas didn't show up at the coffee shop yesterday."

"Wait, what? Oh when I get my hands on him..."

"Maya, please don't. I just want to forget the last two weeks ever happened."

"That will be much easier when Lucas is nowhere to be found, Riles."

Riley couldn't stop Maya as she bolted out the window.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Maya walked through the hallways trying to spot Lucas. He wasn't in his usual spots around school. Maya remembered that Riley usually found him out on the baseball field so she thought she would try there. Sure enough, there sat Friar in the dugout.

"Lucas Friar, you have got some serious explaining to do."

"Maya, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, Huckleberry. I'm not sure who you think you are but if you think you can just make my best friend fall for you and then drop her like nothing happened, you have got another think coming."

"Maya, trust me. The last thing I want to do is hurt Riley. That's why I'm staying away from her. She is way better off without me."

Maya noticed Lucas looking down at his fist. It seemed bruised.

"What did you do to your hand?"

"Maya, please. If you knew, you wouldn't want Riley anywhere near me either."

"Okay, I don't know whats going on with you, but you owe Riley an explanation. And I won't drop this until you give her one. She's at home. She's faking sick so she doesn't have to face you."

Maya was determined to get Lucas back to Riley's house. She told Lucas to wait on the balcony and peeked in to Riley's room to make sure she was decent. Riley was still in her sweats with her hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her hair. But she looked as great as she always did.

"Maya, what did you do?" Riley asked her.

"There's someone here who owes you an explanation."

And with that, Maya backed out of the window and Lucas popped in instead. Even though he was the last person she wanted to see right now, she still got butterflies when she saw his face. But there was something different about him. He looked sad and maybe even a little bit scared.

"Lucas, you don't have to say anything. It's totally fine. I just have a little cold and my mom thought it would be best if I stayed home. Really. It's not that big of a deal."

"Riley. You didn't deserve what happened yesterday."

"Lucas, what are you talking about? It's fine, we aren't a couple. We're not dating. We were just meeting for a smoothie, things come up. I totally understand. In fact, I would have had to cut it short because my mom called right after we were supposed to meet and needed me home anyway. So really, no worries."

"Riley. Can I just talk to you about what happened yesterday?"

"Well, if you feel like you need to, but you really don't. If you don't want to."

"I got into a fight."

Riley wasn't expecting that. She was expecting him to say something like, I realized I had better prospects than you, or my friends wanted me to come hang out.

"I went out to the baseball field to look for something I had lost and Billy was there. He made a comment about how he was going to replace me as pitcher. I didn't think much of it until he made a comment about something else."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'I'm going to take your spot and your girl. Whether she likes it or not.' I didn't like the way he said it. It was like he was hinting that he was going to take advantage of you. I got so mad, I just. I went to another place. It scared me because it's the same place I went to in Texas. It's the reason that I'm here."

Riley didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe Billy had something like that about her. He was always so nice to her. And Riley was not happy about the fact that they had gotten into a fight.

"Is Billy okay?"

"He's fine. He'll have a sore jaw for a few days."

Riley glanced down at the fist that Lucas seemed to be favoring. It was slightly swollen and still a little red.

"That's why I didn't show yesterday. I knew you wouldn't like that side of me. You deserve someone who makes you feel safe. I'm sure after hearing what happened between me and Billy you don't feel that way with me. But I am sorry if I hurt you. It was the last thing I ever wanted to do."

And with that, Lucas got up and went out the window.


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a few days since Lucas went to Riley's house. He hadn't seen her at school but he was also avoiding her. He couldn't believe how much he missed her even though they had just met. Riley had something different. Something most girls don't have. She didn't care what people thought of her, she could care less about labels or status or popularity, and she had a childlike demeanor mixed with a sassy spunk that she only let out every once in awhile. Lucas had seen it the first time he saw her. And again when she came to his baseball game.

'Basebally game. Focus on the game today.' Lucas thought as he was getting ready in the locker room. He had another game today that he really should be focusing on. But it was becoming harder and harder to get Riley out of his head.

"Hey guys, let's get out on the field. Remember, we work as a team. We win, we lose, we triumph, we fall, all as a team." Most of the team started heading out as Coach Gleason finished his speech. "Friar, I'm going to be starting Miller out on the mound today. Your head's not in the game."

Lucas was so angry, he could feel it in his ears. But he knew the coach was right. He couldn't even focus on getting ready, let alone trying to strike guys out. But he did not want to see the gloating look on Billy's face.

When Lucas wasn't pitching, he was on 1st base. He loved it almost as much as pitching. Every position required an instinct and Lucas seemed to have this one.

Since this was a home game, Lucas' team was out on the field first. He headed out to 1st base to warm up the short stop, 2nd baseman, and 3rd baseman. He looked towards the mound where Billy was throwing some warm-up pitches to the catcher. But, suddenly he felt like he was being watched. He heard the catcher call balls in and returned the warm up balls. He turned to the bleachers where he saw Riley, Maya, and Farkle from his history class. Maya and Farkle were talking to each other but Riley's eyes were locked on Lucas. She smiled a little at him and every reason he was staying away from her seemed to disappear from his mind.

Lucas was glad that his friends were here but he needed to get his head in the game. The first batter got up to the plate and Billy walked him. 'So much for replacing me.' Lucas thought to himself. But as coach pointed out, this was a team sport.

The runner started a lead off from the plate and Lucas snuck behind him to the plate. Lucas was hoping Billy was watching the runner out of the corner of his eye. Billy winded up, Lucas hit his mit and Billy turned and threw the ball towards Lucas. It was a wild pitch that Lucas had to jump for and it bounced off the top of his mit. The runner had easily made it to 2nd base. Lucas was having a hard time supporting his teammate right now.

Lucas looked over to Coach Gleason who was shaking his head. He looked towards the bleachers and noticed that Riley was still watching him. He wondered what she would do in this situation. 'She's such a good person, she would just go help him.' Lucas thought as he headed towards the mound.

"Hey man I know I'm not your favorite person, but you got this. Shake everything off. Reset."

Billy looked at Lucas in shock. He nodded his head and Lucas jogged back to 1st base. Billy wound up and threw his first strike of the game.

Billy proceeded to strike out that batter and the next two until it was the end of the inning. As Lucas was entering the dugout, Coach said, "Looks like you heard what I said before the game. Great job, Lucas."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

The team ended up winning the game 4-0. Lucas went up to Billy after the game and congratulated him on his performance. Billy had thanked him and shook his hand. 'Maybe we can get past things afterall,' Lucas thought as he exited the dugout and came face to face with Riley. Maya and Farkle were headed towards the parking lot, hand in hand.

"That's new," Lucas said and pointed in their direction.

"Yeah, it kinda came as a shock to us all. But sometimes the person you need most is right in front of you."

Lucas knew that Riley needed an explanation of how he'd been acting and why. And he knew that he needed to tell her how he felt so that she could make up her mind about when she wanted from him.


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: So Texas happened. How are we all feeling? I have several thoughts on the topic, which I'm going to just briefly put here. After the first part, I think everyone was thinking that Rucas was somewhat lost. After the third part, I felt like anything could happen, but it's still leaning more towards Rucas than Lucaya. Riley has hung onto every word Lucas has said since the beginning. She loved hearing his foal story. Maya dumped a smoothie on his head. Doesn't exactly scream hope to me. But I think we've got a long ways to go with all of them. But I think Lucas will be the key. He has to figure out his feelings. Anyway, sorry I haven't updated in a few days, it's hard to write a Rucas story when there's all this Texas-ness going on. Thank you so much to all the new followers, I hope I made this story worth your time. This will probably be the last chapter and maybe an epilogue to follow shortly. I have some other story lines that I'd like to start on, possibly in this same universe.**_

Riley had been a mess for the last few days. When Lucas left out the window she couldn't believe how much had changed between them in such a short amount of time. Lucas had hit Billy. Riley couldn't believe he had done that. But he was defending her, so could she really be upset with him?

Riley thought about what Billy had said to Lucas that set him off. He had said that he was taking his spot on the team, and his girl. He had said it in a way that made Lucas believe he was going to take advantage of Riley? What interactions had Riley even had with Billy? He had seemed like he was going to ask her out a few times. Now that Riley thought about it, she never felt comfortable around him. She hadn't really noticed it until now.

Riley had managed to avoid Lucas the next few days at school. Part of her hoped to run into him by accident and the other part of her was terrified to know what would happen if they did run into each other.

"Have you seen him at all Maya?"

"I've seen him around, but he hasn't talked to me. In fact, I think he's avoiding me as much as he's avoiding you. He knows that I'm still not happy with the way he's treating you."

"Maya, he explained himself. And he honestly thinks he's doing the right thing staying away from me. Which actually makes me like him even more."

Riley thinks about this for a moment. "I can't let him do this. He needs to know how I feel."

"Now that you mention it, he has a baseball game tomorrow. Wanna go? We could bring Farkle."

"You two have been awfully cozy lately. Is there something I should know?"

"Nothing officially. But he is coming over for dinner tonight. He said there's something he wants to talk to my mom about."

Riley couldn't help but smile at that. Farkle had been such a good friend to them for so long. He used to be the nerdy underdog but those days were long gone. Farkle no longer backed down to Maya's teasing, and Maya may have actually met her match. Riley knew that she didn't have to worry about them because Farkle was insanely loyal to his friends. Friendship came first, but they might actually make each other happy.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Riley waited anxiously for her friends to pick her up to go to the ballpark. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say to Lucas but she had to know one way or another if there was any hope for them. Riley was waiting on her front porch when Maya's car pulled up. As she got in she couldn't help but notice that Farkle had his hand on Maya's.

"So I take it dinner went well?"

"Yeah, I sorta asked Maya to go out with me. I hope that's okay Riley, I know how much you want me."

"I am willing to take one for the team in this case. But, I'm just warning you, she's my best friend and if you hurt her, I'll... make sure you get hurt too."

The three of them laughed because they knew Riley couldn't hurt a fly.

As they neared the ballpark Riley could feel her nerves growing. She wanted to be with Lucas, but she was terrified of rejection. Even though they practically just met, Riley had grown to like Lucas so much.

They walked up to the bleachers and Riley looked for Lucas. He wasn't on the mound like usual, he was on 1st base. Riley remembered that Lucas had said that he also played 1st base but that he would usually start pitching. As Riley was watching Lucas, she noticed that he seemed off. He was watching Billy, who was warming up on the pitcher's mound. Lucas turned to look at Riley and normally she would pretend like she wasn't just staring at him, but she couldn't seem to look away.

As the game began, Riley noticed that Lucas fell into an ease. It didn't matter where he was on the field, he knew exactly what was going on on every side of the ball. Billy threw the first pitch and it was a wild one. The next three were the same story. Riley remembered watching Lucas pitch and he had a confidence about him. Billy looked terrified.

The runner had stepped off the base and Lucas was trying to get Billy to throw the ball at him. Billy turned and threw it and it was another wild throw. Riley felt her heart leap out of her chest when the ball bounced off Lucas' mitt. After returning the ball to Billy, Lucas looked up at Riley. She couldn't tell what he was thinking but it looked like he was looking for answers.

'Lucas has always calmed me down when I'm nervous to be around him. Maybe Billy needs that calming too.' Riley thought.

Then Lucas started walking to the mound. Riley got nervous because the last she knew of them talking didn't exactly end well. Lucas simply walked up, said a few words to Billy and then went back to 1st base.

It seemed like Billy became a new person. He threw the next three batters out and the team ended up winning the game. Riley was watching Lucas at first but she ended up cheering on the whole team. They were having so much fun during the game, she couldn't help but have fun herself.

Lucas had a different glow about him when he was on a baseball field. Riley got it. She used to wonder why everyone seemed to love baseball so much. She used to wonder how anyone could have fun watching a baseball game. And then she started watching someone she cared about play. There was something about cheering on someone you loved that made the game interesting.

Suddenly Riley realized something.

She not only had fallen for Lucas, she fell for the game. She needed to remember to thank him for that later.

"Riley, we're gonna let you catch up with Lucas."

Riley hugged Maya. She always knew exactly what Riley wanted. She watched her friends as they happily walked together back to the car.

Riley walked towards the dugout to wait for Lucas. He was talking to Billy again, but this time they were smiling and laughing. Riley felt relieved that they had seemed to work things out.

"That's new," Lucas said and pointed towards Maya and Farkle.

"Yeah, it kinda came as a shock to us all. But sometimes the person you need most is right in front of you."

Riley knew it was a bold thing to say with Lucas standing right in front of her but she meant it. And she hoped that Lucas felt the same way.

"You couldn't be more right. Thank you for coming today. I don't think the game would have turned around if you hadn't been here."

"Me? You were the one who turned it around out there. Billy was a mess until you went out there and talked to him. After that, he was just fine."

"You're the reason I talked to him. I really didn't want to. But when I looked up and saw you, I knew I couldn't just stand there and do nothing."

Riley couldn't believe he was giving her credit for what had happened today. "How do you do that?" She asked him.

Lucas' eyes grew wide, "Do what?"

"Make me feel like the most special girl in the world without even trying."

"It's pretty easy when you are the most special girl in the world."

Riley looked up at the sky. The clouds that had come over them looked like they could start pouring any second now. If she was going to get this out, it had to be now.

"Lucas, I honestly don't care if you think you're not good for me. What you did out there today proved that that's not true. You are such a good person, and I want to be wherever you are. I don't know if you want the same thing, but that's what I want."

As if on cue, the raindrops started falling down.

Lucas looked like he was either in shock or that he was getting ready to break bad news to her. Riley started counting her heartbeats.

"Riley, from the first time I saw you, in that tutu with your camera, I wanted to know who you were. And then you set up right behind home plate where you were all I could see. I just wanted to talk to you. So I threw the baseball at you, just to see you look up at me. Then you came to my game and at the first sign of trouble you were worried about me. And then that day, when we were almost taken out by a bike..." Lucas laughed at that. "I promise it was instinct that made me pull you towards me, but I don't regret it. That kiss was...a moment to remember. But, I'm hoping this one will top it."

With that, Lucas pulled Riley towards him and they finally shared their second kiss.

And it was definitely a moment to remember.


End file.
